Heather Arranie 
Curious about natural remedies for chronic health conditions?
Patients are increasingly looking to cannabis as a treatment option for a variety of long-term health issues, including pain, anxiety, and more. In fact, interest in medical marijuana has exploded over the past few years. Here’s why…
Patients are fed up with traditional options. They want a better way. And a natural one at that.
The secret is…
Growing cannabis at home puts patients in complete control of their medicine. And the best way to get started? Clones.
What You’ll Learn:
- What Are Marijuana Clones?
- Why Patients Are Turning To Cannabis For Chronic Conditions
- The Health Benefits Of Growing Your Own Medicine
- How To Get Started With Clones
What Are Marijuana Clones?
Marijuana clones are small cuttings taken from a mature cannabis plant. These cuttings are then placed in a suitable growing environment to take root, at which point they become a new plant. Clones are genetically identical to the donor plant, so they have the same growth characteristics and, more importantly, produce the same strain of cannabis.
For patients with chronic health conditions, consistency is key. Different strains have different effects on the body, so once you find a strain that works well for your specific condition, you can get more of the same through cloning.
Quality marijuana clones can be a great starting point for patients who are interested in growing their own medicine at home. Clones give growers a head start by allowing them to skip the germination stage entirely and start with a plant that is already established and growing vigorously. Seeds are always a viable option, too, but clones can save time and increase the chances of a successful growth from the outset.
Why Patients Are Turning To Cannabis For Chronic Conditions
If you need some convincing about cannabis’ effectiveness for chronic pain, the stats will help you out:
- A University of Florida study showed that 98.4% of respondents (state registered medical cannabis patients) said cannabis had improved their chronic pain.
- In total, about 1 in 5 Americans are living with chronic pain. Standard treatment options have some serious downsides, like serious side effects and the risk of addiction. Cannabis can be a better path for some people.
- The most common reported reason for using cannabis medically was for chronic pain, followed by anxiety or depression, insomnia, and inflammation.
A Michigan Medicine study showed that enrollment in medical cannabis programs has jumped by over 600% since 2016, indicating a paradigm shift in public perception of cannabis and its health benefits.
The Health Benefits Of Growing Your Own Medicine
There are plenty of upsides to home-growing cannabis, beyond just having it at the ready when you need it.
We’ll break down the main ones…
Cost Savings
Dispensary prices add up quickly. The average medical cannabis patient spends about $150 per month on cannabis products. Growing your own from clones can reduce these costs by a large margin over time. The equipment and set up is the most expensive part. After that, each harvest costs far less than buying from a dispensary.
Quality Control
Growing your own medicine means you know exactly what’s in your plants. No pesticides. No mystery ingredients. Just clean, natural medicine grown with love. This matters because you’ll likely be taking cannabis to address chronic symptoms month after month, year after year. You don’t want to be worrying about what’s in it. Quality control is in your own hands.
Strain Consistency
Clones are where it’s really at…
Not all conditions respond to the same cannabis strains. Some patients need high CBD strains for inflammation, while others need balanced THC/CBD ratios for pain management, for example. Finding the right strain to address your condition can take time and patience.
Once you find a strain that works, though, clones preserve that perfect genetics forever. No more trial and error with each new harvest.
Therapeutic Value Of Gardening
The act of gardening in and of itself has some mental health benefits, too. The process of tending to and caring for a garden can lower stress and give you a purpose in life. Don’t discount that in the picture of patient wellness. It’s extra benefits, really.
How Clones Differ From Seeds
Two common methods to start a cannabis garden are clones and seeds. Both options are viable, of course, but for medical patients, clones often make more sense:
- Seeds are a gamble. You never know when you’ll get a male or a female, for example, and genetics are less consistent, even within the same strain. Germination is a completely different process than using clones and requires more time and patience, with no guarantees it will be successful.
- Clones come already set up as female plants with established root systems that kickstart growth. Results are more predictable and consistent than seeds.
Medical patients don’t always have the time or energy to experiment with the germination process, which makes all the waiting that much longer. Clones get you to medicine faster.
Getting Started With Your First Clone
Ready to grow your own? The basics are as follows…
Choose a strain that is a match for the condition you are treating or the symptoms you are trying to address. Different cannabinoids can be more effective for different conditions. Patients using cannabis to address anxiety or inflammation may find high CBD strains to be effective, while more balanced THC/CBD strains often help with pain, for example. Do some research to understand which strains are ideal for what.
Ensure you have a growing environment with the proper lighting, temperature, and humidity. Cannabis is a high maintenance indoor plant that thrives under controlled growing conditions. A small indoor grow that doesn’t take up much space is enough to get started for many patients.
During the first few weeks after planting, clones are especially sensitive to light and environmental conditions while their roots are taking hold. They need gentle handling while adjusting to their new home. Past that, clones are surprisingly resilient and low maintenance plants to care for.
Check your local laws before you get started. Home cultivation of medical cannabis is permitted in many states but not all, and state regulations around growing your own vary. Some states will allow you to grow, others won’t.
What To Look For In Quality Clones
Healthy clones have certain characteristics. Look for:
- Strong stems that can stand upright without external support
- Vibrant green leaves with no yellowing or brown spots
- White roots that are visible through the growing medium
- No visible pests or disease on or around the plants
Weak or unhealthy clones will struggle to grow or won’t survive. Quality genetics matter in making the entire process of home cultivation more accessible and successful.
Wrapping Things Up
Cannabis has a lot to offer patients with chronic health conditions and is a natural treatment path that is more accessible than ever before. Patients and studies all point to the same conclusion – cannabis works for a lot of people when nothing else does.
Growing your own medicine from clones makes the whole process of home cultivation easy. The advantages are significant. Patients get consistency of genetics, cost savings when compared to dispensary prices, and complete control over growing methods.
The other added benefits to consider are the therapeutic values of gardening in and of itself as part of the wellness journey. The effort to go from clone to medicine is worth it. It’s worth it for patients searching for natural and effective ways to find relief from chronic conditions.
Medical cannabis programs aren’t going anywhere. Patient numbers will continue to climb as more research is done and more people get to experience the benefits for themselves of home growing. The first step is in acquiring quality clones that match up with specific health conditions and needs. From there, the journey towards natural relief can begin.
